View article

The Dialogic Teaching intervention is designed to improve the quality of classroom talk as a means of increasing pupils’ engagement, learning, and attainment, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The programme builds on the dialogic teaching approach developed by Alexander (2015) and successfully implemented in several local authorities (Alexander 2003, 2005a, 2005b). The programme evaluated here was piloted in Barking and Dagenham in 2014/2015. It emphasises dialogue through which pupils learn to reason, discuss, argue, and explain, in order to develop their higher order thinking and articulacy.

The programme as evaluated here included training for teachers, ongoing in-school monitoring and support, a pack containing study and reference materials, and a development and mentoring manual. The intervention entailed a structured programme of 11 cycles arranged in two school …